South Island electrification

 

Traction on the Main Line

Introduction, The Otira Tunnel

The Lyttelton Tunnel

Ec Locomotives

The Tramway Historical Society of Christchurch published this small booklet in 1968 on the eve of the retirement of the EO Class electric locomotives that operated the Otira-Arthur's Pass section of the Midland line, and only a few years later the Lyttelton line would lose electrification (in 1970).  It was noted that both the Midland and the Lyttelton Line electrifications were purely because steam traction was not viable in the long Otira Tunnel, and highly undesirable in the Lyttelton Tunnel.

It commemorates the EO Class operating for 45 years on the Midland line, but is also noting the service of the EC class on the Lyttelton line. It was noted that the EA Class had been ordered from Toshiba to replace the EO Class from 1968 (and would service the line until 1997 although later classified as EO).  Ultimately the Otira Tunnel electrification was dismantled in 1997 after modifications to DX diesel locomotives and changes in operational rules that enabled diesel traction to replace it.  

It also notes that the Lyttelton Tunnel electrification was not expected to continue for much longer, and it would be replaced with diesel traction (as it was). By the time of this leaflet one EC class locomotive had been removed from service, but the process of testing diesel operation through the tunnel was already underway.  Ultimately, for the Lyttelton line and the Otira-Arthur's Pass section, what would end electrification was the cost of uncoupling and recoupling trains for the short sections of line. 

The booklet did hope that examples of the EO and EC class locomotives would be preserved, which they have been at Ferrymead.